We were lucky to catch up with Phillip Cagen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Phillip, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

This is a hard one, and I guess it’s kind of a two part answer, but absolutely career related, and at the very beginning of my documentary career for sure.

I was starting to work on a feature length documentary film about mental health; the subject of the film also being the director. I had only been on the project for a few months at most, I didn’t know the director, Dara very well yet.

Dara did know however I was a HUGE Chicago Blackhawks fan, this was during the time that were really great and winning Stanley cups.

Anyway, Dara booked a date for some interviews on one of the home game nights, I was bummed I was going to miss it, but work was definitely more important, so be it.

Fast forward to the day before the scheduled “shoot”. I hadn’t been home that day, and Dara has asked if I had received any “special documents” for that days assignments, which isn’t really a usual thing. I told him no, and he told me to make sure my wife was checking the mail, something was coming. I was so confused…

Then she called me! She was crazy excited. She said, “Ummmm there are two tickets to the Stanley Cup game tomorrow here!?”

I then called Dara, utterly confused and excited as to why he had sent these tickets I could only dream to have. Were we filming at the game!?

He laughed to me “No! I booked you that night so you wouldn’t be anywhere else, you and your wife are going to the game bro!”

I.. couldn’t believe it. I mean, alone these tickets are over $1000 a piece; I could have NEVER afforded them, most couldn’t. But he knew I wanted it, and he wanted to cultivate a positive relationship for our documentary.

So needless to say I definetly went to that game and got those tickets framed, but I think what’s even more important, certainly more valuable, is that my relationship with this person grew into what will probably be a lifelong friendship. We completed our documentary after years of hard work, and it now sits on Amazon Prime, as well as a handful of other streaming platforms, and has played at festivals all over the country. It helped shape me into the film maker and documentary film maker I am today; and who Dara is, and what his friendship gave me, helped shape me into the person I am today. He’s like an older brother. A role model in ways.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I first got into videography around the age of 12/13; shooting and editing skateboard videos with my friends, ultimately creating a 30 min film that was shown to our entire middle school, which kind of lit the fire for me to continue creating as the years went on.

After film school in school, I spent a lot of my energy focusing on the music world with videography: concerts, festivals, interviews with artists and music videos. I really loved it, but also wanted to branch into larger directions, as well as, frankly not be a starving artist. While one can do quite welll in this field, it can also be really difficult at times, so finding that balance of jobs I didn’t really care for but paid well, to mix with the ones that paid little or nothing, that I cared greatly for.

I’ve also always been extremely knowledgeable and passionate about cannabis, so as that legal world opened up, I dove into that, also opening the world of photography, specifically product and macro photography.

I’m one of a handful of macro cannabis photographers in the greater Chicago area, and I expect as that world matures; my business to flourish.

If I could give anyone in this field or looking into this field advice, it would be to never give up. Find a way. Hustle harder than you did yesterday. Eventually it WILL work out and you’ll be so happy it did.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, and it doesn’t happen on every project, actually few and far between, but when it does: is making content that can make a difference in someone’s life. A positive difference. If I can create something, that is viewed, and affects the way someone goes about their life in a positive maner, even just one person, I’ve actually made the world a little bit better of a place.

I will continue to strive to make more content and bigger projects like this, that can have a positive impact on the society we live in

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Creating content that can make a difference in someones life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.philcagenfilms.com
• Instagram: @officialtrichome_media
• Other: www.Trichome.Media

Image Credits
phil cagen